The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), a body recognized by the food service supply industry, has promulgated various regulations with respect to the materials used in and the design of food service furniture such as food preparation tables. The construction materials currently approved by NSF for use in such furniture are stainless steel, zinc coated steel and polyamide 11 nylon over galvanized steel. NSF also requires that there be nothing in the furniture of a nature to cause a gap over 1/32". Food could collect in such a gap resulting in the growth of bacteria.
Various connector assemblies are known for joining a horizontal brace to a vertical leg in furniture or the like. However, these assemblies are not suitable for food service furniture because they result in the formation of cracks or crevices, or because certain components must be cemented together. For further information regarding the structure and operation of such connector assemblies, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,870; 4,150,907 and 3,891,334. A knock-down work table for use in the food service industry is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,125.